Escape Pod Episode 1021: Butter Side Down (Part 1 of 2)

Podcast: Escape Pod
Date: November 27, 2025
Host: Valerie Valdez
Story By: Cal M
Narrators: Eric Valdez, Dominic Rabram, Alistair Stewart, Valerie Valdez

Episode Overview

Theme:
This episode kicks off a poignant, irreverent, and often hilarious exploration of humanity’s quirks—especially the ways we find love and meaning in even the strangest of places. “Butter Side Down” follows Joseph Smith, a somewhat hapless human spacer, whose affection for a sentient toaster (Bredna) embroils him in an intergalactic legal and moral crisis—one that includes a planet-killing AI weapon, misfit crewmates, and the very human drive to do good (often disastrously).

Key Story Beats and Discussion Points

1. The Trial and Introduction to the 'Toaster Love Affair'

• [03:24] Opens with an official case file: Joseph Smith is on trial before the United Intergalactic Space Council for a litany of galactic crimes, including theft, treason, and conspiracy to commit genocide. The verdict is already in: Guilty, sentenced to death.
• [04:22] Joe, in a wry and nonchalant tone, tries to explain:

  “All I did was fall in love with a toaster. And cause an intergalactic political incident. …It could have happened to anyone.” (Joe, 04:22)

2. Joe’s Backstory: A Human Among Aliens

• Joe flashes back to his youth and early days exploring alien ruins on the dead planet Zulkar, seeking “agricultural tech” (supposedly).
• He meets Bredna—a sentient toaster on caterpillar tracks:

  “You don’t find a sentient toaster on an alien planet and not fall head over heels for her. That’s just science.” (Joe, 07:49)

3. The Crew and the Ship

• Joe describes the motley crew, focusing on Kevin—a Vostron engineer with no concept of human gender norms, who “chose” the female name because she liked the clothes.
• Joe treats Bredna with affection, letting her roam the ship, to the confusion and chagrin of everyone around him.
• Bredna communicates via “clack code” initially, before being installed into Joe’s exosuit and finally “speaking.”

4. Revealing Bredna’s True Nature

• [11:22] Kevin’s Perspective: He reveals in interview that Bredna is actually the Malgroth program—a biophysical superweapon designed to destabilize matter on a planetary scale.

  “It was the perfect world killer. …This AI ended up inside the toaster called Bredna, which then ended up on our ship.” (Kevin, 13:02)

5. Captain ‘Crab’: Joe as Liability

• [16:08] The Captain (Oligba au to rakalafena eraiwakt ayoi), aka “Captain Crab,” supplies a list of Joe’s dangerous antics—smuggling creatures, experimenting disastrously with alien tech, and improvising with robots:

  “He has taped a knife to [the cleaning robot] and named it Roombert. …We are afraid to get close enough to the robot to retrieve the knife. Human Joe refuses to help because he believes it is funny.” (Captain, 19:47)

6. Humanity on Trial: War, Technology, and Empathy

• Joe is forced, via official questioning, to reckon with humanity’s warlike nature—his species’ record of building weapons before peaceful tech (per “Zoolog’s Guide to the Milky Way”).

  “Instead of then moving on to interstellar logistics, humans instead focused on stockpiling nuclear weaponry… they are the only recorded species to have done so in this order.” (Zoolog Guide excerpt, 27:50)

• Joe pushes back, insisting,

  “No, I wasn’t going to use her as a weapon. …I wish you’d stop calling her Malgroth. She hates that name. So do I.” (Joe, 29:10)

7. Small Moments—Joe’s Relationship with Bredna

• Their interactions are filled with comic misunderstanding and real heart:
  • [30:14]

    Bredna: “There are no rats in the vicinity.”
    Joe: “No, Bretty, that’s a… human saying. …Never mind.”

  • [32:28]

    Joe: “Brady, you are a godsend.”
    Bredna: “What is a godsend?”
    Joe: “Oh, maybe that’s a Terran term…”

  • [33:00]

    Bredna: “I am bad news.”
    Joe: “No, Bready. Not unless you’ve tried to wipe out a species. Recently.”
    Bredna: “Not recently, no.”

8. Joe’s Hero Complex—Self-sacrifice and Empathy

• [33:28] Kevin details how Joe, though “useless” as a crewmate, is always risking himself for others, having saved crew members 39 times—despite losing limbs and gaining cybernetic replacements for his efforts.
• Kevin observes the lack of reciprocity in Joe's actions, stating,

  “I wouldn’t have risked myself for him. Nobody would. And I think Joe knows this…” (Kevin, 36:52)

• After a failed rescue, Joe grieves intensely for a crew member he could not save, keeping their badge despite not knowing their name—demonstrating the earnest, guilt-ridden side of human empathy.

9. Another Rescue—Joe’s Descending into Danger

• [42:03] On another mission, Joe insists on trying to replant Zulkar’s ecosystem. When a teammate (Diana/Zeona) falls into a pit, Joe disregards orders and his own injuries to try and save her, ultimately refusing to abandon her even when it puts himself at risk.

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On Falling for a Toaster:

  • "All I did was fall in love with a toaster. …It could have happened to anyone." (Joe, 04:22)

• On Humanity (from the Captain's log):

  • “He only keeps [Joe] on board in accordance with the Spelunkers Guild recommendation that every large ship should contain at least one. One human.” (Captain, 21:38)

• On Joe's sense of duty:

  • “If a crew member needs saving, Joe will try to save them… This has not affected the frequency of his rescues.” (Kevin, 33:40)

• Human vs. Alien Cultural Disconnects:

  • “There are no rats in the vicinity.”
    “No, Bretty, that’s a… human saying.” (Bredna & Joe, 30:12-30:16)

• On Loss and Grief:

  • “I bet you would have done the same. He is wrong. …Ultimately, my life is more important… And Joe’s not my leader or my mate or my child. I wouldn’t have risked myself for him. Nobody would. And I think Joe knows this.” (Kevin, 36:52)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Case File / Trial Opening: [03:24]
• Joe’s first-person account, meeting Bredna: [04:22–10:59]
• Kevin’s deep-dive into the Malgroth superweapon: [11:22–15:46]
• Captain’s list of Joe’s mishaps: [16:08–21:56]
• AI communication logs, technology confusion: [21:56–25:42]
• Joe’s defense of his intentions and humanity: [25:42–29:32]
• Joe and Bredna’s banter, and misunderstanding Terran idioms: [29:57–33:09]
• Kevin on Joe’s heroics and attempts at rescue: [33:28–40:50]
• Joe tries to rescue Zai, risks his life again: [41:09–44:46]
• Outro reflection from Valerie Valdez, human quirks & preview: [45:05–49:15]

Episode Reflection & Tone

The narrative shines in its comedic yet heartfelt examination of humanity’s foibles, capability for affection beyond reason, and our dangerous tendency to take things (and people, and sentient objects) at face value. Every character's voice—whether AI, alien, or human—is distinct and sharply drawn, with warmth and biting humor.

• Host Valerie Valdez closes (45:05) with a reflection on human irrationality and our inclination to find friends in "mindless, emotionless software," concluding:

  “What seems ridiculous at first glance is, when considered from another direction, evidence that humans with all our faults, can actually be pretty great.”

Final Thoughts / What’s Next

Part 1 ends with Joe risking everything (again) for a crewmate, their fate and Bredna’s still uncertain, and the larger question remaining: Can this very “human” capacity for love, irrationality, and loyalty somehow save them from a disaster of their own making? Stay tuned for Part 2.

Listen for:

• Clashing alien/human perspectives
• The fine line between empathy and recklessness
• Pitch-perfect dry wit and character depth

Key quote for the road (Oscar Wilde via outro):

“When one is in love, one always begins by deceiving one’s self and one always ends by deceiving others. That is what the world calls a romance.” [Outro, 49:05]